HEALTH CHECK: How to stay safe from ‘yellow-fever’ disease

In the past weeks, some parts of the states in the countries have recorded ‘strange deaths’.

However, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) traced the recent spike in deaths caused by a “strange disease” suspected to be ‘yellow fever’.

Scores of deaths to the strange diseases were first reported in Enugu two weeks ago and subsequently in Delta, Bauchi, Oyo, and Kogi.

The ‘strange disease’ reportedly killed almost 50 persons in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi. Also, NCDC confirmed the strange deaths in Enugu, Delta, and Bauchi were suspected cases of yellow fever and that a total of 76 deaths were recorded in the three states.

Here are things you need to know about ‘yellow-fever disease’:

· Yellow Fever is a vaccine-preventable disease. It is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The “yellow” in the name refers to jaundice that affects some patients.

Symptoms of yellow fever include;
· Fever

· Headache

· Jaundice

· Muscle Pain

· Nausea

· Vomiting and Fatigue.

A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within 7 to 10 days.

The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America.

Large epidemics of yellow fever occur when infected people introduce the virus into heavily populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination. In these conditions, infected mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti species transmit the virus from person to person.

Yellow fever is prevented by an extremely effective vaccine, which is safe and affordable.

A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to grant sustained immunity and life-long protection against yellow fever disease

Good supportive treatment in hospitals improves survival rates. There is currently no specific antiviral drug for yellow fever.

Prevention
Here are ways to prevent this disease;

Protection from mosquitoes – To reduce exposure to mosquitos, experts advise:

· Where possible, avoid outdoor activities during dawn, dusk, and early evening, when mosquitoes are most prevalent.

· Cover the skin as much as possible, by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long clothes in areas where there are mosquitoes.

· Stay indoors in places that have air-conditioning and good screening, such as window nets

· Apply mosquito repellent to clothing, shoes, and other items, but not directly on the skin